There was a story in the current issue of The Crest on Foodhall and how it was going to make a difference, I trusted the story as it had no indications of being an advertorial. To put it mildly, my effort of going all the way was a waste. Foodhall is less user oriented than Le Marche at Vasant Vihar or the Auchan (SPAR) outlet at Pacific Mall. Here is a department by department review:
- Fruits 7/10 – Prices higher than both Le Marche and Auchan but has more variety than both. Prices for some varieties of Apple higher by 40% than competing stores. Apples to apples, A Grade Granny Smith to A Grade Granny Smith. They do stock dragon fruit which Spar doesn’t.
- Vegetables 8/10 – Variety and choices are good.
- Non vegetarian 2/10 – Just cold cuts and packaged stuff, no fresh food at all. Very disappointing. Le Marche and Auchan both offer at least a dozen choices in fresh fish. Looks like a very halfhearted attempt more out of compulsion and less out of user requirements.
- Bakery and eating options or to-go options – 4/10 – very basic, has a vast scope for improvement.
- Cheese 6/10 – No Jacks not even Monterey or Pepper. No variety of Indian cottage cheese/ paneer. No fresh mozzarella.
- Oils 5/10 – No top level brands available, very few variety. Rice-bran oil (any brand) and Figaro Olive Oil were both not available.
- Spices 9/10 – This is the only department which was to my expectations.
- Soups 2/10 – A next door kiryana shop has more choices these days.
- Ready to eat – 3/10 – Very limited brands and very limited variety
- Chips, Cookies – 4/10 – Soomeone really needs to work on it, you may give me rarest of the rare spices but if you don’t give me my daily consumption items, it is a problem.
- All other departments like Breakfast Cereals, Ice Creams, Lentils, Condiments, Savories, Candies, Cooking Mediums, Chocolates and Flours don’t even deserve a mention.
Mr. Biyani must pay one good visit to his competing outlets, it is necessary. Better still he can call me to show him the gaps. I had to actually go back to Le Marche as half of my requirements were not served. For me it is a big fail, I would keep alternate weeks between Le Marche and Auchan.
Foodhall in Delhi is located at DLF Promenade Mall, Vasant Kunj.